We've already been to the polls for the state election and we have a federal election looming in May before councillors gather together in September to decide who they want to be mayor for the following 12 months.

And while no one is saying anything on the record just yet, it seems to be Bathurst's worst kept secret that Graeme Hanger will face an almighty fight if he wishes to hold on to the city's top job.

So far it would seem at least four of the current nine councillors are considering a run for mayor in September and the number-crunching has already begun.

And what that number-crunching is finding is that the task of securing five solid votes to take the mayor's role is virtually impossible at this stage.

Most of those councillors considering a tilt can so far rely on just two, maybe three, votes before it all gets a little murky.

And unless there is a major shift in how are the numbers fall between now and September, it's going to be a matter of trying to survive the early rounds of voting in the chamber - which could even mean a draw from the hat - is the hope of scrambling together the five votes needed in the final round.

With all that in the background, though, an interesting new alliance seems to be forming among the councillors.

Councillors Jess Jennings, who has previously shown an interest in the mayoral robes and is likely to be interested again, and Jacqui Rudge have been working closely together on the College Road park project, with the support of John Fry.

It's a project that plays well to Cr Jennings' community engagement mantra and one that supports Cr Rudge's concerted push in recent months to build her profile.

And while there is always the risk of reading too much into these things, if that trio was to form a voting bloc during mayoral considerations, it would see Cr Jennings take a huge step towards victory.

But with so many dominoes to fall in the next six months, it would be a brave man or woman who tried to confidently predict Bathurst's next mayor from this far out.

And after a landslide in the state election last weekend and an expected landslide in the federal election in May, a close-run and intriguing election might be just what this city needs.